Economy

Howard: China's growth 'good for world'

By Ma Chenguang (China Daily)
Updated: 2011-05-24 10:15

MA'ANSHAN, Anhui - China's growth has benefited Australia and the world, by helping them get through the financial crisis, according to the former Australian Prime Minister John Howard.

China is "doing very, very well" and is successful in the highly competitive world market, said Howard at the fourth Global Outsourcing Summit in Ma'anshan on Monday adding that the country's growth is not only good for China, but also "good for the whole world".

"The growth of China is a great story", he said in an interview with China Daily, adding that he is quite optimistic about Australia's future relations with China.

Based on mutual trust and benefits, bilateral relations between China and Australia have been good during the last 29 years and the foundations are strong, he said.

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General Christian Emile Quesnot, a former chief of staff for two French presidents, also affirmed in a speech on Monday that China is economically safe and has sustained development amid the devastating global economic crisis.

Sui Hui, managing director of the United Nations Industrial Development Organization, said in an interview on Sunday that China and Australia were two "zero victims" of global financial crisis because of China's continuous growth and the subsequent demand for resources and minerals that have boosted the Australian economy. China's contribution to global economy is now "unquestionable" as the facts have shown, she said.

Wang Chao, vice-minister of commerce, said that the nation's service outsourcing industry is becoming one of the major forces promoting world economic development.

China reaped $14.5 billion from service outsourcing last year, a jump of 43 percent year-on-year, he said, adding that from January to April this year, the figure was $5.2 billion, a rise of 113 percent over the same period in 2010.

Worldwide, service outsourcing generated income of $600 billion in 2010, a rise from $400 billion globally in 2004, said Huo Jianguo, director of the Chinese Academy of International Trade and Economic Cooperation under the Ministry of Commerce.

Wei Jianguo, China's former vice-minister of commerce, called on Anhui and Ma'anshan - one of the 17 prefecture-level cities in the eastern province - to bring in more professionals to accelerate the development of service outsourcing with better policies and technology.

Wang Sanyun, the provincial governor of Anhui, said on Monday that the province now has around 190 service outsourcing enterprises and has three service outsourcing model cities.

Zheng Weiwen, the Party chief of Ma'anshan, said the city owns more than 60 service outsourcing enterprises, employing some 6,000 staff.

The forum was co-organized by the Asia-Pacific CEO Association, the Chinese Academy of International Trade and Economic Cooperation under the Ministry of Commerce, Anhui Provincial Bureau of Commerce and the city government of Ma'anshan.